Saturday, August 06, 2011

August 3, 2011, Los Angeles, Calif. - As Tropical StormEmily bears down on Haiti, threatening floods and landslides,International Medical Corps is preparing its choleratreatment sites in the West, South and Artibonite Departmentsfor an increase in cholera cases following the storm.

"We are very concerned that heavy flooding will occur as aresult of Emily, which will likely lead to a dramaticincrease in the spread of cholera," said Sean Casey,International Medical Corps Haiti Country Director. "We arepreparing all of our cholera treatment facilities andpre-positioning medicines and supplies so that we cancontinue to treat our most severe patients and to prepare fora likely increase in cases after the storm."

In Les Cayes, International Medical Corps is relocatingsevere cholera patients out of its tent cholera treatmentcenter into a safe, permanent structure, where they cancontinue to receive 24-hour care and be protected from thestorm. International Medical Corps is also pre-positioning anemergency room physician at Port-au-Prince's UniversityHospital to prepare for the possibility of an increasedpatient load there.

Haiti's topography is prone to both flooding and landslides.Flash floods are possible in low-lying areas, such asGonaives and Carrefour, while strong winds are expected todestroy tents and unstable structures. Tropical Storm Emilycurrently has sustained winds of 80 km/hr., while as much as20 inches of rainfall is possible in some locations in Haiti.

International Medical Corps was on the ground 22 hours afterlast year's 7.0-earthquake struck Port-au-Prince and thesurrounding areas, and was one of the first responders tomedical and emergency needs following Hurricane Tomas, whichcaused severe flooding in earthquake-affected areas andexacerbated the country's cholera outbreak. InternationalMedical Corps continues to respond to the cholera outbreakwith a network of cholera treatment centers, mobile medicalunits, and oral rehydration points in some of Haiti's hardestto reach and most vulnerable areas.

Since its inception 25 years ago, International MedicalCorps' mission has been consistent: relieve the suffering ofthose impacted by war, natural disaster, and disease, bydelivering vital health care services that focus on training.This approach of helping people help themselves is criticalto returning devastated populations to self-reliance. Formore information visit: www.InternationalMedicalCorps.org